Voting-machine.



A. J. GILLESPIE.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 7, 1900.

Patented Sept .9,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INDEPENDENT PEOPLES SOCIALXST LABOR DEMOCRATIC PROHIBITION ICAN COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

A. J. GILLESPIE.

VOTING MACHINE,

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A. J. GILLESPIE.

VOTING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1900.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

5 SHEETS8HEET 3.

A. J. GILLESPIE. VOTING MAQHINE. APPLICATION IILEI) MAY 7, 1900.

1,072,939, Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

5 SHEETB-SHEET 4.

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VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1900. 1,072,939, Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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UNITED strarrs irnnr oFrroE.

ALFRED J. GILLESPIE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO EMPIRE VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A.

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VOTING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. GILLESPIE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to voting machines of that general type illustrated in my prior Patent No. 628,762, dated July 11th, 1899, in which the ballot or vote-indicating devices, such as keys, are adapted to be placed by the voter into cooperative relation with th registers or counters to which they are devoted without, however, permanently operating them, and by a subsequent operation, such as the voter leaving the proximity of the indicators, only those registers whose indicators have ben operated will be caused to permanently register a vote, and the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts looking to the simplification of the machine and to provide simple means for multi-candidate voting or grouping devices for the indicators, all as will be hereinafter fully described and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a voting machine em bodying my improvements with the upper and lower parts of the casing broken away Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the front plate or ballot-indicator support. Fig. 3, a horizontal-sectional view on the line aa of Fig. 5, showing the parts ready to be voted and in dotted lines showing the position when completing the registering operation. Fig. 4, a similar view showing in full and dotted lines the positions of the parts at different por- Fig. 5, a vertical- Fig. 6, a sectional view on the line cc of Fig. 2. Fig. 7, a perspective view of an indicator and its spreader.

Similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 7, 1900.

Patented Sept. 9,1913.

Serial No. 15,772.

1 indicates the front plate or ballot board of the machine upon the face of which are afiixed in a suitable manner cards or tickets containing the names of the candidates, said board or plate preferably forming part. of the casing for containing the operating parts of the machine. On the rear of this plate or support are arranged angle-irons or plates 2, one for each horizontal row of ballot-keys or indicating devices, said plates 2 having at their rear downwardly-extending lips or flanges 3 and above these flanges are provided the perforated guide-plates l, through apertures in which and also corresponding apertures in the upwardly-extending flanges of plates 2 and the plate 1 the keys or ballot-indicators are passed and arranged to reciprocate. In the present arrangement, these keys or indicators consist of short cylindrical rods or pins 5 having the knobs 6 at their outer ends and in rear and near their extreme ends inclined beveled portions 7 and beneath these, horizontal extensions 8. Secured to the indicators 5 between the plates 2 and 4: are flanges or plates 9 having their lower edges received within slots 10 formed in the upper sides of wedge-shaped spreaders or blocks 11, shown pa rt-icularly in Figs. 4 and 7, the connection being such that the spreaders 11 move back and forth with the keys or indicators when moved longitudinally in their guides and are permitted to slide laterally upon the flanges 9. The spreaders 11 rest upon the lower horizontal portion of the channels 2 and are located between the forward inclined faces of laterally-sliding blocks or plates 12 arranged in the channels 2, having their forward corners beveled at 13; said wedges or blocks 12 being freely movable in the channel plates, and the end block of the horizontal row being adapted to abut against, or, if desired, to be connected to a movable block or part 14: operating in suitable guides or flanges 15 on the rear of the plate 1.

As usual in machines of this general type, the indicators devoted to the candidates for the same oiiice are arranged in the same hori zontal rows and those devoted to candidates for the same political party are in the same for only one candidate in the row, said.

blocks 12 are permitted to move longitudinally only the width of one of thespreaders, in the present embodiment this belng permitted by securing the end block or plate 14 to the casing by means of a movable stud or pin 16 inserted in apertures,

in the plate land in the block or stop 14,

so that when one indicator is pushed in the 1 end block 12 of the row will abut against the block 14 and no other spreader 11 can be moved inward. fAs it is desirable to adapt the machine for multi-candidate or gl 'oupvoting, so as to permit a certain predetermined number of votes to be indicated for candidates for the same oflice in the Same or different horizontal rows, 1 provide the .end plates or blocks 1a with proje tions preferably in the form of rollers RSaround which extends a flexible connector in the form of a chain 19, said chain also Extending around stationary pins, guides or rollers 20 secured to the main frame. When the rows of indicators are connected in this manner, the securing pins 16 in each row grouped are removed from the blocks 14 so that the latter can slide freely in their guides, and, therefore, While one indicator in each'horizontal row thus grouped can be moved into voted position without affecting the interlocking devices in the other rows of indicators, the move mentof a number of indicators or keys in any row or rows equal to the number of r ws grouped nd no re can be mov d t voted position. For instance, if one of the indi ators in the upper row of Fig. 2 is moved, the wedgeblock 12 will be moved. up against its block or plate 14:, and if another in i ator in the same row is m ved to voted position, all of the wedge-blocks 12 at the left g-'- i wi l m e a distance equ to th wid h of the we g r p eader 11, causing the block 14 to move outward another step and take up some of the slack in the fle ible ch in o on e r 1. uf ci ently to move all of the remaining blocks 14; inward a short distance. If another indicator in the same row is operated, the block 1% Will be moved farther one unit of space, operating the chain and the blocks 14: in the other rows, until finally, when the proper number of indicators, say four, have been operated in the upper row, all of the blocks 1% in the remaining rows will be moved up against the blocks 12 and prev nt the inward mo e ent at th pr a in any i sa ema n ng r l r y, if one indicator in each row is operated, the blo s lZWiH h mo e ou aga n l k 1e and no mo e in i t n b pe te i struction shown in my prior Patent No.

628,762, that is to say, they each embody a units-wheel 21, tens-wheel 22 and hundredswheel 2-3 mounted upon suitable arbors journaled in the sides or wings of channelplates 24;, each of the latter having the forwardly-extending flange or projection 25, upon the side of which are guided the register-actuators 26. These actuators are, preferably, composed of sheet metal having stamped therefrom inclined pallets or operating teeth 27 arranged to cooperate with the teeth of the actuating-wheel 28 secured to the side the units-wheel 21. The actuator is further provided with a slot 29 through which extends the arbor 3O carrying the register-wheels operating to support the rear portion of the actuator which is permitted a slight rocking movement on said arbor, shown particularly'in Fig. 5.

31 indicates transmitting-gears between the units, tens and hundreds-wheels of each register, mounted loosely upon an arbor 32. The forward ends of the actuators 26 ex tending toward the front plate of the machine are bent to form laterally and upwardly-extending hook-shaped ends 38 adapted to cooperate with the outwardlyextending flanges 3 of the channel-plates 2, as will be explained. The channel-plates 24- each contains a series of registers and actuators, one for each horizontal line of indicators, and said plates are secured at their upper and lower ends in a register- 35 movable relatively toward and from the front plate and also permitting a lateral movement, the support for the lower and the guide for the upper end of Said frame 5, in the present intance, wn tir-s' o Yo e the low r one resting upon the bottom plate 3? the casing and having upwardly extending arms 38 provided with apertures at their upper end, in which rest trunnions or lugs 39 secured to the sides of the frame 35., and the upper yoltes suspended from the top of the casing by headed pins, The yokes 3,6 slide laterally with the frame 35, and the lower one being permitted a tilting move trunnions or pins 39. The upper end of the frame 35 may be guided by a yoke 36 so as to maintain the parallelism between the register frame and the front plate 1, or, if desired, other suitable supporting and guiding devices could be employed.

As a means for causing the relative movement of the indicator supporting plate 1 and the register frame or support, I provide upon the upper and lower sides of the frame wheels or rollers or projections 40 operating in eccentric cam-grooves a1 formed in the upper and lower faces of disks or wheels 42 securedto the ends of a shaft 43 suitably journaled in the main frame or casing of the machine. The length and amount of eccentricity of the cam-slots 41 are such that when the shaft 43 is rotated in one direction, say to the right looking downward, the register-framewill be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the rear, then to the right, as the outer end of the cam slot engages the pin 40 and then, when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, the frame will be moved inwardly and then to the left. The shaft carrying the cams is operated by any suitable means, either by the oflicer in charge of the machine, or by the voter himself, in which. latter event it is connected by any suitable intermediate mechanism with a barrier or curtain or covering which may control access to the ballot indicators.

The normal position of the parts is that 51 nvn in Fig. 3 in full lines with the register-frame moved forward so that the inner hooked ends 33 of the register-indicators 26 are beneath the flanges 3 on the frame plate, the indicators or keys 5 being in the forward position with the inclines 7 out of contact with the ends of the actuators. In order to indicate a vote, the voter moves inward the indicators in proximity to the name of the :andidate for whom he desires to vote and by reason of the interlocking mechanism described he is permitted to vote for only a certain number. This inward movement of the key or indicator causes the inclined portion 7 to raise the end of the registeractuator 26, as shown in Fig. 5, bringing its hooked end beneath the flange or catch 3, as shown, and in line with the stop or flange 4i, and if he should desire to change his vote, he may withdraw the indicator to normal position dropping the actuator, removing the spreader from between the wedge blocks and releasing the interlocking device so that any other indicator in the same series may be actuated, if desired, and when he has indicated the proper number of votes, he leaves the front of the machine and the shaft 43 is then operated to the right (Fig. 3) either by the voter or the authorized officer and the actuators of such of the registers as have had their ends elevated above the lower edge of the flanges 3 are retained by said flanges as the register frame moves to the rear, the cams then being in the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 4. The further movement of the cam in the same direction will carry the register frame to the right (same figure) to the position in which the parts are shown in full lines, this last lateral movement of the register frame bringing the projections or flanges 25 in line with the inner ends of the indicators. The operation just described has caused the rear pellets on the actuators, whose indicators have been operated, to move the units-wheel of the register a part of a revolution, say onetwentieth, or to the position shown by the two operated actuators in Fig. 5. When, now, the shaft 43 is moved from the position shown in full lines (Fig. 4) to the left, the cam will cause the register frame to move toward the front plate again and as the projections or flanges 25 of the register channel plates are in line with the inner ends of the indicators, all of those indicators or keys which have been operated will be pushed outward or returned to the normal position, the cam track in the wheels then being in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and when the end of the cam-tracks in the disks engage the projections 40 on the registerframe, the latter will be moved to the left a short distance to the position shown in full lines in said figure, thereby taking the flanges or projections 25 out of line with the indicators and restoring the machine to normal position ready for the next voter. During the time that the frame is moved forward from the position of the cam shown in Fig. 4, the registers whose actuators have been engaged with the flange 3 and the stop or flange 4: are operated the proper distance, say onetwentieth of a revolution of the units-wheel, thereby bringing another numher on the latter in line with the reading apertures in the rear of the register-casing. The downward movement of the registcn actuators after or when the indicators are reset or returned, may be insured by any suitable gravity-operating device or spring mechanism, if preferred.

It will be understood that the operating parts are inclosed in a suitable casing and that the numbers on the registers at the rear can only be observed when this casing is opened by the properly authorized officers.

Machines constructed in accordance with my invention consist of but few operating parts readily stamped from sheet metal and these are of such substantial construction that there is little or no liability of the machine getting out of order. Furthermore, the actuation and resetting of the registers is accomplished by the bodily relative movement of the indicator-support and the register-support.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon having a movable actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon cooperating with the actuator to attach it to the in dicator support, said supports being relatively movable and operating to cause the operation of the register and to reset the indicator to normal position during the complete cycle of their relative movements.

2, In a votingsmachine, the combination with a register support, a register there-on having a movable actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon cooperating with the actuator to attach it to the indicator support, said supports being relatively movable to cause the operation of the register and said register support ongaging the indicator to return it to normal position during a complete cycle of oper- Him.

8. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon provided with an actuator cooperating positively with the register to actuate it one step when moved relatively thereto in two directions, of a support, a ballot indicator movable thereon and operating when moved to connect the register-actuator to the support, said indicator and register supports being relatively movable in two directions to actuate the register and in a different direction to reset the indicator.

4:, In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon, and a register-actuator, of a support, a movable indicator on the support for detachably connecting the actuator thereto, said register and indicator supports being movable relatively toward and from and laterally of each otherand thereby cause a complete op.- eration of the register and reset the indicator during a complete cycle of movement.

5. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register-support, a plurality of registers thereon, of a support, a plurality of ballot indicators thereon corresponding in numbel with the registers and cooperating with the latter when moved to voted position, interlocking mechanism between the indicators, said register and indicator-supports being relatively movable to cause the actuation of the registers whose indicators are moved to voted position, and said registersupport cooperating directly with the indicators that have been moved to return them to normal position, whereby the registers are actuated and the indicators reset during a complete cycle of the relative movement of the two supports.

.6. In avoting-machine, the combination with a register support and a plurality of registers thereon, of indicator support, ballot indicators movable thereon corre sponding in number and position with the registers and adapted to cooperate directly with the register support, interlocking .devices between the indicators, said register and indieator-supports being relatively movable to cause the actuation of the registers whose indicators have been set or voted, and to reset the operated indicators during a complete cycle of operation of the machine.

7 In a votingemachine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon having a movable palleted actuator in positive mechanical engagement therewith, of a support, a ballot indicator movable thereon operating when moved to voted position to connect the actuator with the indicator support, and means for moving the register and indicator-supports relatively toward and from and laterally of each other and thereby cause the actuation of the register and the resetting of the indicator,

.8. In a voting machine, the combination with a register support, a plurality of registers thereon, each having a movable palleted actuator in positive mechanical engagement'therewith, of a support, a plurality of ballot indicators movable thereon, one for each register, and operating when moved to voted position to connect theactuator with the support, and means for moving the register and indicator-sup sorts relat1vely toward and from and laterally of each other and thereby cause the actuation of the registers whose indicators have been operated and the resetting of all of the indicators.

9. In a voting machine, the combination with a register support, a plurality of registers thereon, each having a movable palleted actuator in positive mechanical engagement therewith, of a support, a plurality of ballot indicators movable thereon, one for each register, and operating when moved to voted position to connect the actuators with the support, interlocking devices between the indicators for preventing the operation of more than a predetermined number, and means for moving the register and indicator supports relatively toward and from and laterally of each other and thereby cause the actuation of the registers whose indicators have been operated and the resetting of all of the indicators. 7

10. In a votinganachine, the combination with a register support, a register, and an actuator therefor, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon for causing the en gagement and disengagementof the register-actuator and the indicator-support when the indicator is moved in opposite directions, and means for moving the two supports relatively to operate the register and release the actuator from the indicator-support.

11. In a votingmachine, the combination with a register support, a register and an actuator therefor, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon for causing the em gagement and disengagement of the register 7 ports relatively to cause the operation of the register and the return of the indicator to normal position.

12. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register and an actuator therefor, of a support, a ballot inclicator movable thereon and adapted to engage the actuator and lock it to the indicator-support when moved in one direction and to engage the register support to be reset thereby, and means for operating the register and indicator-supports relatively away from each other, then laterally in one direction, then toward each other, and then laterally in the other direction to first position.

13. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register, and an actuator therefor having the hooked end, of a support, a ballot indicator movable thereon having the incline to engage the actuator and cause it to engage the support and adapted to be engaged itself by the register support, means for operating the indicator and register supports relatively toward and from and laterally.

14. In a voting-machine, the combination with the register support, a register thereon,

and an actuator therefor, having the hooked end, of a support, a projection thereon adapted to be engaged by the actuator, a

movable ballot indicator on the support for moving the actuator into engagement with the projection, and means for operating the register and indicator supports relatively.

15. In a voting-machine, the combination with a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon, of a register support, a register thereon having a part cooperating with the indicator and moved by the latter into engagement with the indicator support, and means for moving the supports relatively and thereby cause the operation of the register and the return of the indicator to normal position.

16. In a voting-machine, the combination with a support having a projection, and a movable ballot indicator having an incline adapted to cooperate with a register actutor, of a register support adapted to engage the indicator to return it, a register thereon having the actuator, and means for moving the indicator and register supports relatively.

17. In a voting-machine, the combination with the register support, a register thereon, a palleted register-actuator having a reciprocat-ing and tilting movement, of a support, a ballot indicator thereon adapted to cooperate with the actuator, and means for moving the indicator and register supports relatively.

18. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon having a palleted reciprocating and oscillatory actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon adapted to oscillate the actuator to engage the indicator support, and means for operating the supports relatively. 1

19. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon having a palleted reciprocating and oscillatory actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon adapted to move the actuator in a direction to engage the indicator support, and means for operating the supports relatively to cause the operation of the register and the return of the indicator.

20. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register thereon having an. actuator movable in one direction to operate the register and also movable in another direction without operating it, of a support, an indicator movable thereon and adapted to cooperate with the actuator to :move it in the last mentioned direction, and means for moving the supports relatively.

21. In a voting-machine, the combination ;with a support, a register thereon having a Irelatively movable actuator loosely connected therewith, of a support, an indicator movable thereon and cooperating with the actuator to move it without operating the register, and means for moving the supports relatively.

22. In a voting-machine, the combination with a support, a register thereon embodying the toothed operating wheel, the reciprocatory palleted actuator capable of an oscillatory movement on an axis substantially coincident with that of the wheel, of a support, a movable indicator thereon for oscillating the actuator, and means for causing the relative movements of the supports.

23. In a voting-machine, the combination with a support, a register thereon having the toothed operating wheel, the shaft or arbor, the reciprocatory palleted actuator having the slotfor the arbor, of a support, a movable indicator thereon adapted to engage the actuator to tilt it, and means for operating the supports relatively.

2a. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support and a register (hereon having an actuator, of a support, having opposing stops or projections thereon, a movable ballot indicator on the support operating when moved to engage the register actuator with both stops, and means for operating the supports relatively to actuate the register and return the indicator to normal position without other operating de vices.

25. In a voting machine, the combination with a register support and a register thereon having an actuator, of a support having the two stops thereon, a movable ballot indicator on the support having the inclined portion for engaging the actuator and moving it into engagement with one of the stops, and means for moving the supports relatively.

26. In a voting machine, the combination wit-h a register support and a register thereonprovided with an actuator, of a support provided with two stops, a movable ballot indicator having the inclined portion for engaging the register actuator, said indicator being adapted to be engaged by the register-support, and means for operating the supports relatively.

27. In a votingmachine, the combination with a register-support, a register thereon having an actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon adapted when moved to cause the engagement of the actuator and indicator-support, and an oscillatory shaft and connections for causing the relative separation and lateral movement of the supports at each complete movement in one direction.

28. In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support,'a register thereon having an actuator, of a support, a movable ballot indicator thereon adapted when moved in one direction to cause the engagement of the actuator and indicator support, and an oscillatory cam engaging one of the supports and moving it away from and laterally of the other at each complete movement in one direction.

29. In a voting machine, the combination with a register-support and a register there on, of a support, a ballot indicator thereon adapted to cooperate with the register, and operating devices for moving the supports toward and from and laterally to cause the operation of'the register and reset the indicator.

30; In a voting-machine, the combination with a register support, a register on the support having an actuator, of a support, a ballot indicator thereon adapted to cooperate with the actuator, and the cams engaging the register support and causing its longitudinal and lateral movements relative to the indicator support.

31. In a voting machine, the combination with a register support and a register thereon having an actuator, of a support, a mov' able ballot indicator thereon normally in cooperative relation with the actuator and out of cooperative relation with the register support, and means for moving the supports relativelywhereby during a complete cycle of operation of the machine, the indicator when set will cause the operation of the register and said indicator will be enr gaged by the re ister frame and returned to normal position.

32. In a voting machine, the combination with the register-support, and a plurality of registers thereon provided with actuators, of a support having the two stops thereon, a plurality of movable ballot indicators on the support operating when moved to connect the actuators with the stops and adapted to be engaged by the register-support, interlocking devices between the ballot indicators to prevent the operation of more than a predetermined number, and means for causing the relative movements of the support-sto operate the registers whose indicators have been voted and return the indicators during acomplete cycle of movement of the machine.

38. Ina voting-machine, the combination with the register-support and registers thereon, of a support having the plates thereon provided with the flanges extending in opposite directions, and the reciprocatory ballot indicators adapted to engage the operating portions ofthe registers, and means for moving the supports relatively to actuate the registers and reset the indicators.

34. In a voting machine, the combination with the register-support, a plurality of registers thereon, each having an actuator,

' of a support having the plates provided with the flanges extending in opposite directions, the movable indicators having the inclined portions cooperating with the register-actu ators, and means for operating the supports relatively. V

35. In a voting-machine, the combination with the register-support, a plurality of registers thereon, each having an actuator,

of a support having the plates provided with flanges extending in opposite directions, the

movable indicators adapted to cooperate with'the actuators and engage them with the flanges, the interlocking blocks in the channel. plates cooperating with the indicators, and means for causing the relative movement of the supports;

so. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of registers each embodying a toothed wheel, a corresponding plurality of actuators adapted to cooperate with their register wheels, a part with which the actuators may cooperate, said actuators being movable separately into and out of cooperative relation with said part and interlocking devices for preventing more than a predetermined number of said actuators from engagement with said part, of means for moving the registers and said part relatively to cause the operation of the registers.

.87. In a voting machine, the combination with a plurality of registers each embodying a toothed wheel, a corresponding plurality of actuators adapted to cooperate with their moving the registers and said part relatively to cause the operation of the registers and returning the actuators.

ALFRED J. GILLESPIE. Witnesses:

J. E. GILLEsPIE, H. V. MoGnEGoR.

register Wheels, a part with Which the actuators may cooperate, said actuators being movable separately into and out of cooperative relation with said part and interlocking devices for preventing more than a predetermined number of said actuators from engagement With said part, of means for Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

